Compare God's revelation in 1 Samuel 3:21 with Hebrews 1:1-2. What similarities exist? Setting the Verses Side by Side “And the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.” “On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. But in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.” Common Ground in Divine Revelation • God takes the initiative—He is the One who “appeared” (1 Samuel) and “spoke” (Hebrews). • Revelation is personal—He “revealed Himself” to Samuel and “has spoken to us” in the Son. • The vehicle is His Word—Samuel receives “His word”; we receive the living Word, Jesus (John 1:14). • Prophetic continuity—Samuel functions as a prophet; Hebrews recalls that God “spoke … through the prophets.” • Progressive clarity—both passages show movement from partial to fuller disclosure (cf. Proverbs 4:18). Shared Themes Worth Noticing 1. Initiating Grace – God does not wait for humanity to find Him; He steps toward us (Isaiah 65:1). 2. Personal Encounter – Revelation is relational, not merely informational (Jeremiah 9:23-24). 3. Word-Centered Communication – Whether through spoken prophecy or the incarnate Word, God’s self-disclosure is always tied to His authoritative speech (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). 4. Continuity and Consistency – Same God, same voice, different stages; the Old Testament voice at Shiloh harmonizes with the New Testament voice in the Son (Malachi 3:6). 5. Culmination in Christ – What Samuel experienced in seed form blossoms fully in Jesus, “the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3). Why These Similarities Matter Today • Confidence: The God who spoke then still speaks now through Scripture (Psalm 119:89). • Clarity: All genuine revelation aligns with and centers on Christ (John 5:39-40). • Continuity: The storyline of redemption is one unbroken thread, weaving Samuel’s Shiloh and our own lives into God’s larger tapestry. Living Out the Truth • Approach Scripture expecting encounter, not just information. • Test every claimed “word” by the final Word—Jesus and the written Scriptures. • Rest in the faithfulness of a God who has always made Himself known and still does today. |
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